This invention relates generally to electrical connector housings and terminals, and more particularly to jackboxes for connecting electrical lines carrying electrical signals relating to physiological parameters.
In recent years, numerous technological advancements have been achieved in the field of patient monitoring. For example, improvements in the process of patient brain wave monitoring continue to be made. Whether for long term monitoring of epilepsy patients, sleep monitoring, routine electroencephalograms (EEGs), or other monitoring, these advancements have improved the quality, accuracy, and speed of diagnoses. However, improvements in the form, size, and weight of the medical equipment used for patient monitoring leave much to be desired. For example, typical neurophysiological monitoring equipment includes a number of depth and/or surface electrodes for sensing electrical signals from the patient""s brain and other physiological parameters of the patient, a number of corresponding electrode leads for carrying those signals from the patient, a jackbox, a signal amplifier for amplifying the signals, and a recording device (e.g., a computer) for recording, display, output and/or analysis of the signals. The jackbox acts as a routing box, thereby connecting patient electrophysiological signals via the electrode leads to the amplifier, and is typically a box-shaped device having a port for connection to the amplifier or amplification circuitry (typically by a cable or a connection port) and a series of other ports for connection to the individual electrode leads. In addition, mobile systems can include one or more batteries and related power equipment.
In light of the above-described patient monitoring system, it will be appreciated that a conventional patient monitoring system can include a large number of components, many of which are commonly quite bulky and heavy. Bulky and heavy system components increases system transport and setup, and compromises patient mobility in mobile patient monitoring systems.
Although the size and weight of many devices in patient monitoring systems have been reduced to make setup and transport easier and to facilitate patient mobility, the jackbox in such conventional systems typically remains poorly suited for patient comfort and ease of use. A typical conventional jackbox such as in a neurophysiology patient monitoring system is a box-shaped metal or hard plastic device having a series of externally-exposed sockets on one or more faces. The interior of the jackbox is not accessible to a user, and houses internal wiring connecting the sockets to an externally-exposed cable port or multiple jacks on the jackbox. The jackbox essentially collects all electrical signals and routes them to the cable port or jack(s) for output to the next device (e.g., a signal amplifier or amplification circuitry). The series of externally-exposed sockets on the jackbox receive plugs of the electrical leads running to the patient, while the externally-exposed cable port or jack receives a cable running to a signal amplifier or other signal processing equipment.
This widely used conventional jackbox design has a number of limitations. First, the conventional large and heavy jackboxes are undesirable because they occupy valuable space in patient quarters, increase patient discomfort in applications where the jackbox is worn, and are generally more difficult to transport even if not worn by the patient. Because these factors make conventional jackboxes (and indeed, the entire patient monitoring system) less desirable from a patient""s point of view, they can affect the patient""s desire to use the system. Especially in more difficult applications such as for longer-term monitoring or where the patient is an infant, child, or is mentally ill, these factors can even determine whether a particular patient monitoring system can be reliably used.
Also, conventional patient monitoring system jackboxes are not well suited to be worn by a patient. The size, weight, design, and hard material of such jackboxes makes them uncomfortable for a patient to wear.
The ability of electrodes to become disconnected from the jackbox readily presents another problem for conventional patient monitoring jackboxes. Because the electrode leads from the patient""s body typically run to externally exposed electrical connections (e.g., sockets or pins) on the jackbox (which typically provides no strain relief for the leads or connections), the chances of accidental disconnection at the patient or on the jackbox connection points are significantxe2x80x94especially for mobile or long-term monitoring systems or where the patient is otherwise fairly active. Reliable and accurate monitoring is mission critical because the results of the monitoring can be used to determine the need for and extent of surgery. Accordingly, disconnection of patient electrode leads may ruin monitoring results and require additional subsequent monitoring. Although special connectors can be used to secure the electrode leads to the jackbox (such as screw mounts or side clips for each lead), these connections are often difficult to manipulate, especially for typical applications where a bundle of 30 or more leads must be connected to the jackbox and only a limited number break or disconnect.
As described above, conventional jackboxes typically have external connectors. This exposes the jackbox and lead connections to contaminants such as dirt, dust, and spilled liquid, and increases the possibility of connection corrosion. Such externally exposed connections are also more likely to be bent, broken, or otherwise damaged, thereby resulting in missed, loose or poor connections that may not be detected by the user.
Yet another problem common to most conventional jackboxes relates to the large number of electrode leads typically connected to the jackbox. Many applications call for over 30 electrode leads to be connected. Conventional jackbox designs themselves do not provide any manner or structure by which the electrode leads can be organized and prevented from tangling. Also, because the leads are often connected in relatively tight, ganged, or gathered sets on the exterior of the jackbox, the process of connecting, disconnecting, and changing electrode leads on the jackbox can be difficult. For example, each electrode lead is typically assigned a specific connector on the jackbox. When sets of several connectors are to be connected to corresponding electrode leads, lack of organization can cause switched and improper connections that can generate incorrect monitoring results that may not be detected by the user.
The practice of tightly bundling the connectors on a conventional jackbox can serve the purpose of reducing jackbox size, but at the cost of making jackbox connection and setup difficult. This practice, along with the lack of lead organization in conventional jackboxes, can significantly increase the time needed to set up a patient monitoring system. Attempts continue to be made in such jackbox designs to label the jackbox connectors for making setup easier and more reliable, but only with limited success. The ability to provide large and clear labels or other indicia for closely grouped jackbox connectors and electrode leads remains a problem.
In addition to the problems discussed above with regard to external electrical connections, conventional jackboxes employing such connections are also exposed to electromagnetic interference. Such interference may detrimentally affect monitoring results.
In light of the problems and limitations of the prior art described above, a need exists for an apparatus and method for connecting a plurality of patient monitoring electrodes to associated equipment in which the device used for such connections is small, lightweight, resistant to damage, and comfortable to wear, which provides releasable electrode lead connections that are reliable and are protected from electromagnetic interference, accidental disconnection, damage due to forces exerted upon the electrode leads, corrosion, and contaminants such as dirt, dust, fluids, and the like, and which enables quick, easy, and accurate connection of the electrode leads to corresponding connectors. Each preferred embodiment of the present invention achieves one or more of these results.
The present invention is a jackbox for releasable connection of a plurality of electrical leads carrying electrical signals representative of at least one physiological patient parameter to patient monitoring equipment. The jackbox has a number of electrical connectors which are releasably connectable to the electrical leads. Preferably, the jackbox has an enclosure that can be opened and closed to gain access to electrical connectors therein and which offers protection of the leads and connection points of such. When closed, the enclosure preferably substantially surrounds the electrical connectors and ends of the electrical leads connected thereto. Unlike conventional jackboxes for patient monitoring systems, such enclosures provide protection for electrical connectors and electrical leads against dirt, dust, spilled liquids, electrical connector or lead corrosion, potentially damaging pulling, pushing, and bending forces, and other damage from environmental exposure. Also, such enclosures permit shielding material to be used to shield the electrical connectors and electrical leads from electromagnetic interference.
Some preferred embodiments of the present invention employ a clamshell-style enclosure, others employ a book-shaped enclosure, while still others have enclosures shaped and openable in any desired manner. Although a jackbox having an openable and closable enclosure is preferred, other embodiments of the jackbox have no enclosure or have an enclosure that does not permit user access to the interior thereof.
Enclosures according to different embodiments of the present invention are made of resilient material that is relatively non-deformable, semi-deformable, or deformable for serving a number of different purposes. Jackbox embodiments having a resilient and relatively non-deformable enclosure can be used for providing more jackbox strength and a more rigid jackbox structure (useful, for example, where electrical connector pivot mechanisms are desired or where certain types of electrical connector movement are desired as described below). Jackbox embodiments having a resilient and semi-deformable or deformable enclosure can be used for providing increased wearer comfort, increased protection against dropping, impact or other shock, and where certain other types of electrical connector movement are desired as also described below.
To improve access to the electrical connectors in the jackboxes of the present invention, one or more (and most preferably all) of the electrical connectors are preferably movable. In one preferred embodiment for example, the electrical connectors are connected to a pivot mechanism that is coupled to the jackbox enclosure. When the enclosure is opened or closed, such enclosure motion causes motion of the pivot mechanism which in turn causes motion of the electrical connectors. The pivot mechanism in highly preferred embodiments of the present invention is a series of elongated linking elements coupled to the enclosure and to the electrical connectors for motion transfer from the enclosure to the electrical connectors. Most preferably, the linking elements are pivotably mounted to the enclosure and to the electrical connectors arranged singularly or in groups or xe2x80x9csetsxe2x80x9d. Other embodiments of the present invention transfer enclosure motion via linking elements to rotational, translational, or both rotational and translational motion of the electrical connectors. In each case, the electrical connectors are moved between a position in which they are preferably in a compact and space saving storage arrangement and a position in which they are preferably in a more spaced apart arrangement for increased user access. In one highly preferred embodiment, linking elements are pivotably coupled to the electrical connectors and cause the electrical connectors to pivot about pivot points on the enclosure when the enclosure is opened or closed. In the closed position, the electrical connectors are preferably all close together and oriented in the same general direction while in the open position, the electrical connectors are rotated to space apart the electrical connectors and to xe2x80x9cfanxe2x80x9d or spread apart the electrical leads connected thereto for increased user access. Spaced or fanned electrical connections and electrical leads are easier to identify, label, connect and disconnect, reduce the chances of incorrect connections and setup error, and accelerate the jackbox connection process.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, improved electrical connector access is enabled by employing a resilient and semi-deformable or deformable jackbox enclosure design. Specifically, one or more portions of the enclosure can be bent, twisted, or otherwise deformed by the user to better expose the electrical connectors inside. With such manipulation, the electrical connectors can be moved with the deformed material into a fanned or spread orientation from a relatively close and space-saving arrangement, resulting in the same advantages as described above.
Regardless of enclosure material, shape, or manner of opening, the electrical connectors are preferably arranged in a space-saving relationship at least when the jackbox is in a closed position. As described above, this can be accomplished by moving the electrical connectors as the jackbox is closed. This can instead or also be accomplished by employing preferred electrical connector arrangements and orientations within the closed jackbox. In highly preferred embodiments of the present invention, the electrical connectors are nested within one another, whether in bundled sets, in layered rows, etc. Such nesting can be between sets of electrical connections (defined as electrical connectors coupled to electrical leads) coupled directly or indirectly to the same enclosure portion of the jackbox or can be between sets of electrical connections coupled directly or indirectly to different enclosure portions of the jackbox (such as to two portions movable with respect to one another to open and close the jackbox). Most preferably however, electrical connections are nested not only on the same enclosure portions but also between different enclosure portions of the jackbox.
Electrical connector nesting in the present invention can be between electrical connections substantially overlying one another or only partially overlapping one another. In a partially overlapping relationship, the electrical connectors of one set of electrical connections are nested within the electrical connectors and/or the electrical leads of one or more other sets of electrical connectors. Highly preferred embodiments of the present invention have electrical connectors arranged in sets of partially overlapping electrical connectors. Also, each set of electrical connectors is preferably offset with respect to the set or sets of electrical connectors located therebehind. Offset electrical connector sets are preferable because they facilitate electrical connection nesting (described above) and because they provide improved centrally-gathered feed paths for electrical leads running out of the jackbox thereby helping reduce strain on the electrical connections.
By conserving space in the jackbox through movement of the electrical connectors into a compact storage position when the jackbox is closed and by employing a nested arrangement of electrical connections in the jackbox, the present invention provides a jackbox of significantly reduced size that is less obtrusive and that is easier and more comfortable to wear.
Preferably, the electrical connectors in the present invention are arranged to prevent inadvertent or accidental disconnection of the electrical leads from the electrical connectors and to prevent the transmission of pulling force upon the electrical leads outside of the jackbox to the electrical connections inside the jackbox. To this end, the electrical connectors are preferably arranged in the jackbox so that each set of electrical connections (i.e., electrical leads and/or electrical connectors) blocks the removal of the electrical leads behind them. In highly preferred embodiments of the present invention, this blocking is the result of the nested electrical connection relationship described above, but does not require nesting to be effective. Those electrical connections having no electrical connections in front of them are preferably blocked from removal by one or more retaining elements preferably attached to or integral with the enclosure. In other embodiments of the present invention, one or more retaining elements are located in front of and block disconnection of any number of electrical connectors located anywhere in the jackbox. Preferably, the retaining elements hold the electrical leads and prevent the transmission of pulling force from outside of the jackbox to the leads inside the jackbox.
Some preferred embodiments of the present invention can employ wireless transmitters and receivers for transmitting signals from the jackbox to downstream equipment. Jackboxes employing this feature preferably have an amplifier, digitizer, and transmitter (or signal amplification, digitization, and transmission circuitry) for processing and transmitting the signals to such downstream equipment. Although such jackboxes preferably have an amplifier, digitizer, and transmitter connected to or part of the jackbox circuitry, an external amplifier, digitizer, and transmitter can also be used if desired. Alternative embodiments of the wireless jackbox can employ different arrangements of these components, such as a digitizer connected to the receiver of downstream equipment rather than on or connected to the jackbox, a jackbox having an amplifier upstream of the digitizer rather than a digitizer upstream of an amplifier, and the like. In still other embodiments of the present invention, the electrical leads running from the patient""s body to the jackbox can be replaced by a series of amplifiers, digitizers, and wireless transmitters each connected to a respective sensor on the patient and capable of transmitting signals to one or more receivers in, on, or connected to the jackbox and/or other receiving devices (such as a computer).
Further objects and advantages of the present invention, together with the organization and manner of operation thereof, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements have like numerals throughout the drawings.